Free insulation offer for Dunedin homes

An insulation company is offering 200 free house fittings to
Dunedin people.

The Dunedin City Council is considering the offer which could
be managed as part of its scheme to pay for insulation costs
and charge it back through rates.

Council energy manager Neville Auton could not say who the
company was until the council approved the deal.

Mr Auton said if the offer was feasible, then it would mean
200, possibly more, home owners or renters with community
services card could get 100% of the cost of their insulation
paid for instead of 66% under the Government's subsidy
scheme.

Mr Auton said the company was keen to keep its workforce
employed during the quieter summer months and would still get
the 66% subsidy from the Government.

He said people should have a good look at which insulation
scheme was best for them because it might be cheaper for
people to add the cost to their mortgage, than to go through
the council.

Some banks did not charge any extra fees to add the cost of
insulation to a mortgage and interest rates were often
cheaper than the 8% being charged by the council.

About 160 people have so far expressed an interest in the
council's rates-based insulation scheme. Mr Auton said it
appeared the council would be able to cater for the demand
but it would also let people know there might be cheaper
options for them.

''We will be ... going out with some information on all those
other programmes as well.''